CN1925763A - Footwear with textile uppers - Google Patents

Abstract

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the article of footwear are disclosed. The article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with edges that are joined together to define at least a partial void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first region and a second region with a unitary construction. The first region is formed by a first stitch structure and the second region is formed by a second stitch structure different from the first stitch structure to impart a variable texture to a surface of the textile element. Different warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be used to form the fabric element.

Description

Footwear with textile uppers

Background of the invention

field of invention

This invention relates to footwear. In particular, the invention relates to articles of footwear incorporating an upper formed at least in part from a textile material.

Description of background technology

Conventional athletic footwear includes two major components, an upper and a sole structure. The upper provides a covering for the foot that securely receives and positions the foot relative to the sole structure. Additionally, the upper may have structures that protect the foot and provide ventilation to cool the foot and wick away perspiration. The sole structure is secured to the lower surface of the upper and generally lies between the foot and the ground. In addition to cushioning ground reaction forces and absorbing energy (ie, imparting cushioning), the sole structure may provide traction and control potentially harmful foot motions, such as overpronation. Accordingly, the upper and sole structure cooperate to provide a comfortable structure for a wide range of ambulatory motions, such as walking and running. The general features and structure of conventional uppers are discussed in more detail below.

The upper forms the volume inside the footwear for receiving the foot. The space has the general shape of the foot and access to this space is provided through the ankle opening. Thus, the upper extends over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along the lateral and medial sides of the foot, and around the heel area of the foot. A lacing system is often incorporated into the upper to selectively increase the size of the ankle opening and to allow the wearer to vary certain dimensions of the upper, especially the girth, to provide a variable size to the foot. Additionally, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance wearer comfort, and the upper may include a heel counter to limit heel movement.

Different materials may be used in the manufacture of the upper. For example, an upper for an article of athletic footwear may be made from multiple material layers including an outer layer, a mid layer, and an inner layer. The materials forming the outer layer of the upper may be selected for properties such as abrasion resistance, bendability, and breathability. As for the outer layer, the toe and heel regions may be made of leather, synthetic leather, or rubber materials to impart a relatively high degree of wear resistance. Leather, synthetic leather, and rubber materials may not exhibit the desired degree of flexibility and breathability. Accordingly, various other areas of the outer layer of the upper may be made from synthetic or natural fabrics. Thus, the outer layer of the upper may be made from many material components, each of which imparts different properties to a particular portion of the upper.

The middle layer of the upper may be made of a lightweight polymer foam material that provides cushioning and protects the foot from objects that may contact the upper. Similarly, the inner layer of the upper may be made of a moisture-wicking fabric that wicks perspiration from the area immediately surrounding the foot. In some products of athletic footwear, different layers may be joined by adhesives, and stitching may be used to join components within a single layer, or to reinforce specific areas of the upper.

Even though the materials chosen for the upper vary significantly, the textile material often forms at least part of the outer and inner layers. A fabric may be defined as any product from fibers, filaments, or yarns characterized by bendability, fineness, and a high ratio of length to thickness. Fabrics are generally divided into two categories. The first category includes fabrics produced directly from webs of filaments or fibers by random bonding to form non-woven fabrics and mats. The second category includes fabrics formed by, for example, mechanically manipulating the yarns, thereby producing a woven fabric.

Yarn is the raw material used to form the second fabric. In general, a yarn is defined as a component of substantial length and relatively small cross-sectional area, made of at least one filament or a plurality of fibers. Fibers are of relatively short length and require spinning or weaving steps to produce yarns of suitable length for textile use. Common examples of fibers are cotton and wool. However, the filaments are of indeterminate length and can only be combined with other filaments to produce a yarn suitable for textile use. Modern filaments include a variety of synthetic materials, such as rayon, nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, except natural ones, mainly with filaments. The yarn can be made from a single filament, which is commonly referred to as a monofilament yarn, or from a plurality of individual filaments combined together. A yarn may also include separate filaments made of different materials, or a yarn may include multiple filaments each made of two or more materials. A similar concept also applies to yarns formed from fibers. Yarns can thus have a variety of structures generally meeting the definitions provided above.

Different techniques for mechanically manipulating yarns into fabrics include interweaving, intertwining and twisting, and interlooping. Interlacing is the crossing of two yarns that cross and interweave each other at right angles. The yarns used in interlacing are generally called warp and weft. Entangling and weaving includes steps such as weaving and knotting, where yarns are entangled with each other to form a fabric. Interlooping involves the formation of multiple rows of intermeshing loops, the most common method of interlooping being knitting.

Fabrics used in the uppers of footwear typically provide a lightweight, breathable structure that flexes and comfortably accommodates the foot. To impart other properties to footwear, including durability and stretch resistance, additional materials are often combined with fabrics, including, for example, leather, synthetic leather, or rubber. As for durability, US Patent No. 4,447,967 to Zaino discloses an upper formed from a textile material having a polymer material injected into specific areas to reinforce the areas against abrasion or other forms of wear. Regarding stretch resistance, US Patent Nos. 4,813,158 to Brown and 4,756,098 to Boggia both disclose substantially inextensible materials secured to the upper, thereby limiting the extent to which certain portions of the upper can stretch.

From a manufacturing standpoint, using multiple materials to impart different properties to a product of footwear can be an inefficient practice. For example, the different materials used for conventional shoe uppers typically do not come from separate suppliers. Thus, production conditions must coordinate the receipt of certain quantities of material from multiple suppliers, which may have different business practices or may be located in different regions or countries. Different materials may also require additional machinery and different assembly line techniques to shear or otherwise prepare the material for incorporation into footwear. Furthermore, incorporating the separate materials into the upper may involve multiple different production steps requiring multiple workers. In addition to fabric, the use of multiple materials can also detract from the breathability of footwear. For example leather, synthetic leather, or rubber are generally not breathable. Thus, placing leather, synthetic leather, or rubber on the exterior of the upper can block air flow through the upper, thereby increasing the amount of sweat, water vapor, and heat trapped within the upper and around the foot.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is an upper for an article of footwear incorporating a textile component, for example formed with a knitting machine. In one aspect of the invention, the fabric member has edges joined together to define at least part of the space for receiving the foot. In another aspect of the invention, the fabric component has a first region and a second region of unitary construction. The first region is formed by a first stitching configuration and the second region is formed by a second stitching configuration different from the first stitching configuration to impart a varying texture to the surface of the textile component. The knitting machine may have a structure that forms fabric parts by either warp weaving or weft weaving.

Another aspect of the invention includes a method of making an article of footwear. The method includes the step of mechanically manipulating the yarns, for example with a circular knitting machine, to form a cylindrical fabric structure. Additionally, the method includes removing at least one textile component from the textile structure, and incorporating the textile component into an upper of the article of footwear.

In another aspect of the described invention, an article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper incorporates textile components formed by a knitting machine. The textile component is removed from a textile structure comprising an outline of a textile component having edges joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot.

The advantages and features of novelty characterizing the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, in order to gain a better understanding of the novel features and advantages, reference is made to the following description and drawings, which describe and illustrate various embodiments and concepts related to the described invention.

Description of drawings

The foregoing Summary of the Invention, as well as the following Detailed Description of the Invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side view of an article of footwear having an upper according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the upper.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the upper.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the upper.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the upper.

6 is a first cross-sectional view of the upper, as defined by section line 6-6 in FIG. 2 .

7 is a second cross-sectional view of the upper, as defined by section line 7-7 in FIG. 2 .

8 is a plan view of a textile component forming at least part of an upper.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a fabric structure incorporating two fabric components.

Figure 10 is a plan view of another fabric component.

Figure 11 is a plan view of yet another fabric component.

12 is a side view of another article of footwear having an upper according to the present invention.

13 is a side view of yet another article of footwear having an upper according to the present invention.

14 is a cross-sectional view of the footwear depicted in FIG. 13, as defined by section line 14-14.

Detailed description of the invention

The following discussion and figures disclose an article of footwear 10 and a method of making footwear 10 , or components thereof, in accordance with the present invention. Footwear 10 is depicted in the drawings and discussed below as having a structure suitable for athletic activities, particularly running. However, the disclosed concepts related to footwear 10 may be applied to types of footwear designed specifically for a variety of other sports, including, for example, basketball, baseball, soccer, football, walking, and hiking, and also Can be used on a variety of non-athletic footwear types. Accordingly, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the concepts disclosed herein may be used with a wide variety of footwear types and are not limited to the specific embodiments discussed below and depicted in the figures.

The primary components of footwear 10 are depicted in FIG. 1 as sole structure 20 and upper 30 . Sole structure 20 is secured to a lower portion of upper 30 and provides a durable, wear-resistant component that provides cushioning when shoe 10 impacts the ground. Upper 30 is at least partially formed from textile member 40 that defines an interior volume for comfortably receiving and securing the foot in position relative to sole structure 20 . Rather, the various edges of textile component 40 are secured together to form the shape of upper 30 . In some embodiments, textile component 40 may form substantially all of upper 30, or textile component 40 may form only a portion of upper.

Sole structure 20 generally has a conventional structure including a midsole 21 and an outsole 22 . Midsole 21 is secured to a lower portion of upper 30 and is made of a polymer foam material, such as ethyl vinyl acetate and polyurethane. Thus, when sole structure 20 impacts the ground, midsole 21 attenuates ground reaction forces and absorbs energy (ie, provides cushioning). To enhance the force-absorbing and energy-absorbing properties of sole structure 20, midsole 21 may incorporate fluid-filled bladders, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,183,156 and 4,219,945 to Rudy. Alternatively or in combination, midsole 21 may incorporate a plurality of discrete cylindrical support members, as disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,343,639 and 5,353,523 to Kilgore et al. Outsole 22 is secured to a lower surface of midsole 21 and may be made of a carbon black rubber compound to provide a durable, wear-resistant surface for engaging the ground. Outsole 22 may also incorporate a textured lower surface to enhance the traction characteristics of footwear 10 . In addition, footwear 10 may include an insole (not depicted), which is a relatively thin cushioning component located within upper 30 and proximate the plantar surface of the foot for enhanced comfort of shoe 10 .

Sole structure 20 is described above as having a component of a conventional sole structure for athletic footwear. Other types of footwear, including, for example, fashion shoes and boots, may have other types of conventional sole structures tailored for use with the respective type of footwear. However, in addition to conventional structures, sole structure 20 may also assume unique, non-conventional structures. Accordingly, the detailed construction of sole structure 20 may vary considerably within the scope of the present invention to include a wide variety of conventional or non-conventional constructions.

Upper 30 is depicted in FIGS. 2-7 as having lateral region 31 , an opposing medial region 32 , an instep region 33 , a lower region 34 , and a heel region 35 . Lateral region 31 extends through the longitudinal length of footwear 10 and is generally designed to contact and cover the lateral side of the foot. Medial region 32 has a similar structure that generally corresponds to the medial side of the foot. The instep region 33 is positioned between the lateral region 31 and the medial region 32, and the instep region 33 extends across the instep region of the foot. Lower region 34 forms a bottom surface of upper 30 and also extends through the longitudinal length of footwear 10 . Heel region 35 forms a rear portion of upper 30 and is generally designed to contact and cover the heel region of the foot. Additionally, lateral region 31 , medial region 32 , instep region 33 , and heel region 35 cooperate to define ankle opening 36 for providing access to the foot into the void within upper 30 .

Upper 30 is formed at least in part from textile member 40, which forms regions 31-35, and may also include laces or other members associated with conventional uppers for footwear. Textile component 40 is a separate material component that is shaped to assume a unitary (ie, monocoque) structure, and textile component 40 is shaped or otherwise shaped to extend around the foot. As depicted in FIGS. 2-7 , textile component 40 forms both the interior and exterior surfaces of upper 30 . Fabric component 40 may be formed as part of a larger fabric component. The textile part 40 is then removed from the larger textile part and the different edges of the textile part 40 are fastened together to form the shape of the upper 30 . Thus, when the edges of the fabric components are joined, a plurality of seams 51-54 are formed. The seam 51 extends along the longitudinal length of the lower region 34 and is centered relative to the lateral region 31 and the medial region 32 . Seam 52 is also centrally located and extends upwardly along heel region 35 . Seam 53 is located in the forefoot region of upper 30 and connects portions of lower region 34 with both lateral region 31 and medial region 32 . Additionally, seam 54 is located in the rear region of upper 30 and connects lower region 34 with heel region 35 .

Fabric component 40 assumes the general shape depicted in FIG. 8 prior to forming seams 51-54. However, after seams 51-54 are formed, textile component 40 assumes the shape of upper 30 as depicted in FIGS. 2-7. Seams 51-54 are formed by securing different edges of fabric component 40 together. In more detail, (1) the seam 51 is formed by fixing the edge 41a to the edge 41b; (2) the seam 52 is formed by fixing the edge 42a to the edge 42b; (3) the first part of the seam 53 is formed by fixing the edge 43a is formed by fixing edge 43b; (4) the second portion of seam 53 is formed by fixing edge 43c to edge 43d; (5) the first portion of seam 54 is formed by fixing edge 44a to edge 44b; ( 6) The second portion of seam 54 is formed by securing edge 44c with edge 44d. Referring to FIG. 8 , the locations of regions 31 - 35 and ankle opening 36 are identified to provide a frame of reference with respect to the different portions of textile component 40 .

To join edges 41a and 41b to form seam 51, fabric component 40 is folded or otherwise overlapped such that edge 41a is positioned adjacent edge 41b. For example, stitching, adhesives, heat bonding are then used to secure edge 41a and edge 41b. The fabric member 40 as depicted in FIG. 8 has a generally planar structure. However, once seam 51 is formed, one portion of fabric component 40 overlaps another portion of fabric component 40 . The volume between the overlapping portions effectively forms a portion of the space within upper 30 for receiving the foot.

Folding or overlapping fabric elements 40 to form seam 51 places edge 42a adjacent edge 42b, which facilitates seam 52 formation. Referring to FIG. 8 , the edge 45 forms a generally U-shaped region in the fabric member 40 . Once joining edges 42 a and 42 b form seam 52 , the U-shaped area becomes an aperture in textile component 40 and effectively forms ankle opening 36 . Each edge 43a - 43d and edge 44a - 44d is formed by a generally V-shaped region of fabric member 40 . Thus, seams 53 and 54 may be formed by closing the V-shaped regions and securing the different edges together.

With each seam 51-54 formed, the manufacture of upper 30 is substantially complete. Various finishing steps may be performed, such as strengthening the ankle opening 36, for example. Upper 30 (ie, textile component 40 ) is then secured to sole structure 20 with, for example, an adhesive. The insole is then positioned in the void within upper 30 and adjacent lower region 34 . In some embodiments, various reinforcing components may be added to the exterior or interior surfaces of upper 20 in order to limit the extent to which upper 20 stretches or to provide enhanced wear resistance. Additionally, a lacing system can be added to provide adjustability.

Fabric component 40 is a single material component with an integral structure, as discussed above. As defined for the purposes of the present invention, integral structure is used to express a structure in which portions of a fabric component are not joined together by seams or other connections, such as fabric component 40 as depicted in FIG. 8 . Even though the various edges 41a-44d are joined together to form the seams 51-54, as discussed below, the various portions of the fabric component 40 are formed as a unitary component without seams.

The fabric component 40 is primarily made from one or more yarns that have been mechanically manipulated, for example, by or interlacing, intertwining and braiding, or interlacing methods. As discussed in the Background of the Invention section above, interlacing is the crossing of two yarns that cross and interweave each other at right angles. The yarns used in interlacing are commonly referred to as warp and weft. Entangling and weaving includes steps such as weaving and knotting, where yarns are entangled with each other to form a fabric. Interlooping involves the formation of multiple rows of intermeshing loops, the most common method of interlooping being weaving. Thus, the fabric component 40 is made by one of these methods for making fabrics.

Various mechanical methods have been developed to manufacture fabrics. In general, mechanical methods can be classified as either warp weaving or weft weaving. With respect to warp knitting, different specific subcategories that can be used to make fabrics include warp knits, raschel, double needle-bar raschel (which also includes Pull Double Needle Bed Jacquard Raschel). With respect to weft weaves, different specific subclasses that can be used to make fabrics include cylindrical weaves and flat weaves. Different types of tubular knits include sock knits (narrow tube), body garments (seamless or wide tube), and jacquard knits.

Fabric component 40 may be made by any of the mechanical methods discussed above. Thus, the fabric component 40 may be formed on a warp knitting machine or a weft knitting machine. One suitable knitting machine for forming fabric component 40 is a wide tube cylindrical knitting jacquard machine. Another knitting machine suitable for use in forming the fabric component 40 is a wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine manufactured under the Lonati Group by Santoni S.p.A of Italy, model SM8 TOP1. This Santoni S.p.A wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine can form fabric structures having diameters ranging from 10 inches to 20 inches with 8 feeds per diameter. The machine exhibits a maximum of 140 revolutions per minute for a 10 inch diameter and a maximum of 120 revolutions per minute for a 13 inch diameter. Additionally, the mechanical gauge varies between 16, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 32 needles per inch, and it is available in various needle gauges ranging from 48 to 75.

Wide barrel cylindrical knitting machines, such as those manufactured by Santoni S.p.A, generally form cylindrical fabric structures and are capable of forming different types of seams within a single fabric structure. Typically, wide barrel cylindrical knitting machines can be programmed to vary the structural design of the fabric through needle selection. That is, the type of seam formed at each location of the fabric structure can be selected by programming the wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine so that particular needles either accept or do not accept yarn at each seam location. In this way, different patterns, textures or designs can be selectively and purposefully imparted to the fabric structure.

One embodiment of a fabric structure 60 that may be produced with a wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine is depicted in FIG. 9 . The fabric structure 60 has a generally cylindrical configuration, and the type of stitching varies throughout the fabric structure 60 such that the contour of the fabric component 40 forms a pattern. That is, the differences in stitching within textile structure 60 form a contour with the shape and proportions of textile component 40 .

Santoni S.p.A's wide barrel cylindrical knitting machines can form fabric structures having diameters ranging from 10 inches to 16 inches, as discussed above. Assuming that fabric structure 60 exhibits a diameter of 10 inches, the circumference of fabric structure 60 is approximately 31 inches. In many cases, the overall width of textile component 40 will be approximately 12 inches, depending on the size of footwear 10 . Thus, the contours of at least two textile parts 40 can be formed on the textile structure 60 . Referring to FIG. 9 , a fabric part 40 is outlined on a front portion of a fabric structure 60 , and another fabric structure 40 is outlined on a rear portion of the fabric structure 60 . Thus, the first fabric component 40 and the second fabric component 40 can be formed in a single fabric structure 60 at the same time. However, as the diameter of the fabric component 60 increases or the width of the fabric component 40 decreases, an even greater amount of fabric component 40 may be outlined on the fabric structure 60 .

The fabric structure 60 may be fabricated with a wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine, as discussed above. The type of stitching forming fabric structure 60 may be varied to form the outline of one or more fabric components 40 on fabric structure 60 . That is, the wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine can be programmed to form different types of stitches in the fabric structure 60 to outline one or more fabric components 40 . The individual fabric components 40 are then removed from the fabric structure 60 using die cutting, laser cutting, or other conventional cutting operations. Once textile component 40 is removed from textile structure 60 , seams 51 - 54 may be formed and textile component 40 may be incorporated into shoe 10 .

The yarns forming textile component 40 may generally be defined as assemblies of substantial length and relatively small cross-section made from at least one filament or plurality of fibers. The fibers are of relatively short length and require spinning or weaving steps to produce yarns of suitable length for use in interlooping. Common examples of fibers are cotton and wool. However, filaments are of indeterminate length and can only be combined with other filaments to produce a suitable yarn for use in interlooping. Modern filaments include a variety of synthetic materials, such as rayon, nylon, polyester, polyacrylic, except natural ones, mainly with filaments. Yarns can be made from a single filament (often called a monofilament yarn) or a plurality of individual filaments. Yarns may also be formed from separate filaments of different materials, or yarns may be formed from multiple filaments each of which are made from two or more different materials. A similar concept also applies to yarns formed from fibers. The yarns may thus have various structures within the scope of the invention, which generally comply with the definitions provided above.

In order to provide stretch and recovery properties to upper 30, particularly textile component 40, yarns incorporating elastane may be used. Elastane fibers are commercially available from E.I. duPont de Nemours Company under the trade mark LYCRA. Such fibers may have a structure comprising LYCRA, wherein the fiber comprises a core of LYCRA surrounded by a nylon sheath. One suitable yarn, for example, includes a 70 denier elastic core covered by a 2-ply, 80 denier, 92 filament construction of nylon. Other fibers or filaments exhibiting elastic properties may also be used.

Yarns incorporating elastane are suitable for use in textile component 40, as discussed above. A variety of other yarns, whether elastic or inelastic, are also suitable for use in fabric structure 40 . The properties of the yarns selected for use in textile component 40 are primarily based on the materials from which the various filaments and fibers are formed. For example, cotton threads provide a soft feel, natural aesthetics, and biodegradability. Elastane fibers as described above provide substantial stretch and recoverability. Nylon provides high shine and moisture absorption. In addition to its insulating properties, wool also provides a high degree of moisture absorption. The PTFE cover provides low friction contact between the fabric and the skin. Nylon is a high strength durable and abrasion resistant material. Finally, polyester is a hydrophobic material that also offers relatively high durability. Accordingly, materials comprising yarns may be selected to impart various physical properties to textile component 40, and such physical properties may include, for example, strength, stretch, support, comfort, recovery, comfort, and form.

Fabric component 40 is depicted as having a generally smooth, unvarying stitched structure. That is, similar stitching is used throughout fabric component 40 to impart a common texture to different portions of fabric component 40 . However, as noted above, wide barrel cylindrical knitting machines are generally capable of forming different types of seams within a single fabric structure. Thus, a wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine can vary the stitching within fabric component 40 to create a difference, such as a pattern, design, or texture. Different types of stitching can also be made with other types of weaving machines. Referring to Figure 10, a fabric member 40' with the general shape of the fabric member 40 is depicted as having different regions with different textures. For example, the central region corresponding to the instep region 33 has a generally smooth first texture 46'. Additionally, the textile component 40' includes a second texture 47', which is a plurality of longitudinal ridges. When incorporated into footwear 10 , the ridges will extend longitudinally along lateral region 31 and medial region 32 , and the ridges may extend into heel region 35 . Relief may be present, for example, for aesthetic purposes, or may affect the stretch characteristics of upper 20 . Thus, the textile component 40' exhibits regions of different texture in the individual textile material components.

Many conventional footwear products incorporate uppers with components of different materials each exhibiting different properties. For example, the first material component may be smooth and the second material component may be textured. The first and second material components may then be stitched together to form part of a conventional upper. The fabric component 40' also exhibits smooth and textured regions. However, in contrast to conventional uppers, the first texture 46' and the second texture 47' are incorporated into a single integral textile component rather than two separate components that are stitched or otherwise joined together.

The fabric structure 40" is depicted in Fig. 11 and has the general shape of both the fabric component 40 and the fabric component 40'. The textile component 40" includes regions with three different textures. The first texture 46" is generally smooth and has a distinct band configuration extending laterally across areas corresponding to the lateral region 31, the medial region 32, and the instep region 33. The various portions of the textile component 40" also include a second A second texture 47", which is generally rougher than the first texture 46". Additionally, an area of the textile component 40" corresponding to the instep area 33 includes a third texture 48". The different textures 46"-48" are formed only by varying stitch types made by the wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine at various locations on the fabric part 40". Textures 46"-48" may exhibit aesthetic differentiation , or the difference is structural. For example, the degree of stretch in the region with texture 46"-48" may be different, or the abrasion resistance of the region may vary depending on the stitching used. The fabric part 40" Breathability can also vary in different areas. The third texture 48" is shaped to include a plurality of apertures extending through the textile component 40". Said holes, which facilitate air transfer between the spaces inside the upper 20 and the outer regions of the upper 20 , can be formed by omitting stitching at certain locations during the wide-tube cylindrical knitting process. Accordingly, different seams formed in textile component 40", or one of textile components 40 or 40' may be used to alter the texture, physical properties, or aesthetic properties of footwear 10 within a single, unitary component material.

In addition to changing the stitching type to form textures 46'-47' and 46"-48", the type of yarn used in different regions of fabric components 40' and 40" may be changed to impart different properties. As noted above, the yarn Can be formed from, for example, cotton, wool, elastane, rayon, nylon, and polyester. Each type of these yarns can impart different properties to the regions corresponding to textures 46'-47' and 46"-48". For example, Elastane can be used to impart stretch, wool can be used for insulation, and nylon can be used for durability. Therefore, different yarn types can be used to impart different properties. Can be used to form yarns with different properties (for example, properties, textures, etc.) of the different regions of the knitting type can vary significantly to include the different warp and weft weaving methods discussed previously, such as, for example, warp knits, raschel warp knits, double needle bed raschel warp Braids, cylindrical weaves, and flat weaves.

Article of footwear 110 is depicted in FIG. 12 and includes sole structure 120 and upper 130 . Upper 130 includes textile component 140 having the general configuration of textile component 40 . Like textile component 40 , textile component 140 forms both an exterior surface and an interior surface of upper 130 . Additionally, upper 130 includes lace 131 and a plurality of components 132-135, which also form portions of the outer surface. Lace 131 extends through a plurality of apertures formed in fabric portion 140 . By omitting sutures at certain locations, the holes can be formed. Member 132 is located at the forefoot region of shoe 110 and may be made of, for example, leather or rubber to provide additional wear resistance. Member 133 extends around the ankle opening to enhance and limit stretch in the area of the ankle opening. Member 134 extends around the heel area to resist movement of the heel and position the heel above sole structure 120 . Additionally, member 135 is a substantially inextensible strip of material, such as leather or synthetic leather, that limits stretch on the lateral side of footwear 110 . While upper 30 is constructed almost exclusively of textile component 40, upper 130 also includes lace 131 and components 132-135. Thus, an upper according to the invention may incorporate a number of additional components.

Another article of footwear 210 is depicted in FIGS. 13-14 and includes a sole structure 220 and an upper 230 . Upper 230 includes textile component 240 that forms an outer layer. Additionally, upper 230 includes mid layer 250 and outer layer 260 . As noted in the Background of the Invention section above, the upper of a conventional article of footwear may be made from multiple material layers including an outer layer, a mid layer, and an inner layer. The materials forming the outer layer of the upper may be selected for properties such as abrasion resistance, bendability, and breathability. The middle layer of the upper may be made of a lightweight polymer foam material that provides cushioning and protects the foot from objects that may contact the upper. Similarly, the outer layer of the upper may be made of a moisture-wicking fabric that wicks perspiration from the area immediately surrounding the foot.

Upper 230 has a structure similar to conventional upper structures using layers of different materials. However, in contrast to conventional uppers, the inner layer consists of a textile element 240, which is produced by the method described above. That is, textile component 240 is a separate textile component that forms the inner layer of upper 230 . An advantage of using the textile component 240 for the inner layer is that the textile component 240 includes few seams where the foot can be contacted. Additionally, stitching for different locations of textile component 240 may alter the texture of the interior surface of upper 230 to limit the extent to which sliding occurs between the foot and upper 230 or to enhance the breathability of upper 230 in certain locations.

Different warp weaves or weft weaves may be used to form fabric component 40, or various other fabric components as described above. An advantage of this approach is that different stitching can be incorporated into specific locations of the fabric component 40 to alter the physical properties or aesthetics of the fabric component 40 . While a conventional upper includes various components that are stitched or adhesively joined, textile component 40 is a single, unitary component material. From a manufacturing standpoint, using multiple materials to impart different properties to a product of footwear may be an inefficient practice. However, by forming textile component 40 as a single unitary component material, efficiency is increased since upper 20 may include a single textile component rather than a number of connected components.

Various weaving methods may be used to form textile component 40, as described above. As a specific example, a double needle bed jacquard raschel machine can be used to form a planar fabric structure, and can also be used to form a fabric structure to have a spaced web structure. Unlike fabric structure 60, which generally assumes a cylindrical structure, a fabric structure formed with a double needle bed jacquard raschel machine will have a flat structure. However, similar to fabric structure 60, the contour of the fabric component may be imparted with a fabric structure formed by a double needle bed jacquard raschel machine. That is, the difference in stitching within the fabric structure can create a contour with the shape and proportions of the desired fabric component. Accordingly, the textile component may be removed from the textile structure and incorporated into footwear 10 . In addition, a double needle bed jacquard raschel machine can be used to impart different textures, different properties, or different yarn types to fabric parts. Similarly, other types of weaves, such as flat weaves, may be used within the scope of the present invention to impart different textures, different properties, or different yarns to fabric components.

The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to different embodiments. The purpose of the disclosure, however, is to provide examples of various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (67)

1. A product of footwear comprising: an upper comprising a textile member produced by weft weaving, the textile member having edges joined together to define at least a portion of a space for receiving a foot; and A sole structure is secured to the upper. 2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the textile component forms at least a portion of a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep region of the upper. 3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the edges include a pair of first edges joined to form a first seam extending longitudinally along a lower region of the upper. 4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the edges include a pair of second edges joined to form a second seam extending along a heel region of the upper. 5. The article of footwear according to claim 4, wherein the second seam extends vertically. 6. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein the edges include at least one pair of third edges joined to form a third seam extending along a forefoot area of the upper. 7. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the textile component has a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region is formed by a first stitch type, and the second region Formed from a second stitch type different from the first stitch type to impart a varying texture to the fabric component surface. 8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the first stitching type provides a substantially smooth texture to the first region. 9. The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the second stitching type provides a substantially rough texture to the second region. 10. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first stitching type and the second stitching type form apertures in the textile component. 11. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the textile component is one of an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer of the upper. 12. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the upper includes an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer, and the textile component forms at least a portion of the inner layer. 13. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the textile layer forms at least a portion of both an exterior surface and an interior surface of the upper. 14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein at least one additional component is secured to and forms a portion of the outer surface. 15. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the additional component is secured to a forefoot region of the upper. 16. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the additional component is secured to a heel region of the upper. 17. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the textile component forms an interior surface of the upper. 18. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the weft weft is a cylindrical weave. 19. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the weft weft is a flat weave. 20. An article of footwear comprising: An upper comprising a textile element produced by weft knitting, the textile element having a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region being formed by a first stitching structure, and the second a second region is formed by a second stitching configuration different from the first stitching configuration to impart different properties to the fabric component; and A sole structure is secured to the upper. 21. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the first stitching structure provides a substantially smooth texture to the first region, and the second stitching structure provides a texture that is smoother than the second region to the second region. A texture with a rougher texture. 22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the second stitching structure forms a relief structure in the second region. 23. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein at least one of the first stitching structure and the second stitching structure forms an aperture in the textile component. 24. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the textile component is one of an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer of the upper. 25. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the upper includes an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer, and the textile component forms at least a portion of the inner layer. 26. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the textile layer forms at least a portion of both an interior surface and an exterior surface of the upper. 27. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the textile component forms an interior surface of the upper. 28. A product of footwear comprising: An upper comprising a textile member having edges joined together to form a seam and defining at least a portion of a space for receiving a foot, the seam comprising a first seam and a second seam a seam, the first seam extending along the lower surface of the upper from a heel region to a forefoot region of the shoe, and the second seam extending vertically in the heel region; and A sole structure is secured to the upper. 29. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the footwear includes a third seam extending through the forefoot region of the upper. 30. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the textile component has a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region is formed by a first stitch type, and the second region Formed from a second seam type different from the first seam type to impart different properties to the fabric component. 31. The article of footwear recited in claim 30, wherein at least one of the first stitching type and the second stitching type form apertures in the textile component. 32. The article of footwear recited in claim 30, wherein the different properties include different resiliency of the textile elements. 33. The article of footwear recited in claim 30, wherein the different characteristics include different air permeability of the textile component. 34. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the textile component is one of an outer layer, a mid layer, and an inner layer of the upper. 35. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the textile layer forms at least a portion of both an interior surface and an exterior surface of the upper. 36. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the fabric layer forms an interior surface of the footwear, and at least one additional layer forms an exterior surface of the footwear. 37. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the textile component is produced by a weft weaving process. 38. The article of footwear recited in claim 37, wherein the weft weft is one of a cylindrical weave and a flat weave. 39. The article of footwear recited in claim 28, wherein the textile component is produced by a warp weaving process. 40. The article of footwear recited in claim 39, wherein the warp weave is a double needle bed jacquard raschel weave. 41. A product of footwear comprising: An upper comprising textile elements produced by a knitting machine, the textile elements removed from a textile structure comprising an outline of the textile elements, and the textile elements having a space joined together to define a space for accommodating a foot at least a portion of the edge; and A sole structure is attached to the upper. 42. The article of footwear recited in claim 41, wherein the knitting machine is a wide barrel cylindrical knitting machine. 43. The article of footwear according to claim 41, wherein the knitting machine is a double needle bed jacquard raschel knitting machine. 44. The article of footwear recited in claim 41, wherein the edges include a pair of first edges joined to form a first seam extending longitudinally along the lower region of the upper. 45. The article of footwear recited in claim 44, wherein the edges include a pair of second edges joined to form a second seam extending along a heel region of the upper. 46. The article of footwear recited in claim 45, wherein the edges include at least a pair of third edges joined to form a second seam extending along a forefoot region of the upper. 47. The article of footwear recited in claim 41 , wherein the textile component has a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region is formed by a first stitch type, and the second region Formed from a second stitch type different from the first stitch type to impart a varying texture to the fabric component surface. 48. The article of footwear recited in claim 41, wherein the textile component is one of an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer of the upper. 49. The article of footwear recited in claim 41, wherein the textile component forms an interior surface of the upper. 50. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, said method comprising the steps of: Mechanically manipulating the yarns with a cylindrical knitting machine to form cylindrical fabric structures; removing at least one fabric component from the fabric structure; The textile component is incorporated into an upper of the article of footwear. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the mechanically manipulating step includes using a wide barrel cylindrical braider. 52. The method of claim 50, wherein said mechanically manipulating step includes forming a texture in said cylindrical fabric structure in the shape of said fabric component. 53. The method of claim 50, wherein said mechanically manipulating step includes forming said fabric component to include a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, said first region being formed by a first stitching configuration , and the second region is formed by a second stitching configuration different from the first stitching configuration to impart a varying texture to the surface of the textile component. 54. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of mechanically manipulating includes forming at least two fabric components in the cylindrical fabric structure. 55. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of mechanically manipulating includes forming holes in the fabric member. 56. The method recited in claim 50, wherein the joining step includes securing a first pair of edges of the textile component to each other to form a first seam extending along a lower region of the upper. 57. The method recited in claim 56, wherein the joining step further includes securing a second pair of edges of the textile component to each other to form a second seam extending along a heel region of the upper. 58. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising the steps of: mechanically manipulating the yarns with a knitting machine to form a fabric structure having the contour of at least one fabric component; removing the fabric component from the fabric structure; The textile component is incorporated into an upper of the article of footwear. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein the mechanically manipulating step includes using a wide barrel cylindrical braider. 60. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of mechanically manipulating includes forming a texture in the cylindrical fabric structure in the shape of the fabric component. 61. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of mechanically operating includes using a double needle bed jacquard raschel machine. 62. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of mechanically manipulating includes forming the fabric component to include a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region being formed by a first stitching configuration , and the second region is formed from a second stitching configuration different from the first stitching configuration to impart a varying texture to the surface of the textile component. 63. The method recited in claim 58, wherein the step of joining includes securing a first pair of edges of the textile component to each other to form a first seam extending along a lower region of the upper. 64. The method recited in claim 58, wherein the joining step further comprises securing a second pair of edges of the textile component to each other to form a second seam extending along a heel region of the upper . 65. An article of footwear comprising: An upper comprising a textile element formed by planar weaving, the textile element having a first region with a unitary structure and a second region, the first region having a first set of properties, and the first a second region having a second set of properties different from said first set of properties to impart varying characteristics to said fabric component; and A sole structure is secured to the upper. 66. The article of footwear recited in claim 65, wherein the first set of properties and the second set of characteristics are at least one of seam construction and yarn type. 67. The article of footwear recited in claim 65, wherein the textile component is one of an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer of the upper.

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